Monopersulfate salts, such as potassium monopersulfate, are useful as oxidants in many applications including swimming pool treatment denture cleaning and paper recycling. Although monopersulfate salts (MPS) are not sanitizers and cannot be used alone in pools and spas, they are used as auxiliary oxidants (shocking agent) in conjunction with copper/silver ionizers or chlorine or bromine sanitizers to reduce organic content in swimming pool or spa water. In this manner MPS improves the sanitizer's efficiency and the aesthetic quality of the pool water.
Shocking can be defined as a pool or spa water treatment that oxidizes chloramines and other organic contaminants making pool and spa water clear. Many organic contaminants, such as perspiration, body oils, deodorants, and suntan lotions are introduced into pool and spa water by the bather. Other contaminants are introduced by external forces, such as wind and rain; these include dust and dirt, pollen and other plant debris, lawn fertilizer, grass clippings, and airborne pollutants.
It is widely known and accepted that proper sanitation is critical for maintaining pool and spa water free of disease and infection causing bacteria, viruses, and other micro-organisms. When organic contaminants build up, they chemically react with swimming pool sanitizing and disinfecting chemicals, consuming a large portion of the available sanitizer. As this occurs, the sanitizer must be added at higher doses to achieve the same level of disinfection. As the level of organic contaminants increases in pool and spa water, the sanitizer concentration and disinfection efficiency decreases.
Contaminants which contain nitrogen, such as ammonia, can combine with chlorine sanitizers to form chloramines, or combined chlorines. There are many problems associated with the presence of combined chlorines. They react with active chlorine, they irritate eyes and mucous membranes, they create chlorine-like odors, and they are poor sanitizers.
In addition to reducing sanitizer efficiency and generating irritating and odorous chloramines, organic contaminants also adversely affect the aesthetic quality of swimming pool and spa water. They make the water appear dull, thick, slow, and cloudy.
Monopersulfate shocking eliminates organic contaminants, increases sanitizer efficiency, and restores sparkle and clarity to pool and spa water.
While monopersulfate are, accordingly, useful either as alternative or in addition to other water treatments such as chlorine shocking, it is important to be able to quickly and effectively determine the concentration of monopersulfate in the aqueous medium if the treatment is to be safe and effective.